Glen Ellyn gas station vote ignored residents

It took an unfathomable team effort, but at the March 13 meeting, the Glen Ellyn Village Board ignored every concern brought forth by residents, and approved a 24-hour gas station & liquor/convenience store at Five Corners, 825 N Main Street.

More than 700 members of the community had signed a petition opposing it.

With opaque transparency, the board pushed a special use permit for the land through in three weeks. In so doing, the board overturned the unanimous vote by the planning commission to reject the special use application - an unprecedented move. This was undertaken with the underwhelming, and conveniently new belief that this real estate will net $140,000 in tax revenue per year - representing a mere .2 percent increase in revenue annually.

They chose not to listen to community members, who filled the room and an overflow room with video feed and voiced concerns about:

• The increased cancer risk from benzene, a chemical found in gasoline and proven to cause cancer in humans;

• Federal school-siting guidelines advise against schools being close to gas stations. Forest Glen Elementary will be less than 500 feet from the proposed station;

• The runoff and drainage that will absolutely come from this, with an 11-foot drop-off in elevation to neighborhood homes;

• The safety of the already dangerous Five-Corners intersection of Main St., St. Charles and Geneva roads;

• The expected increase in crime at the 24/7 store-station;

• The far-reaching negative effects on the neighborhood and the homeowners' real estate values;

• The destruction of numerous trees, digging on contaminated soil and building on moderate potential wetlands;

• The inherent light, sound and air pollution from such an all-night business.

Our representatives showed an unconscionable indifference to the integrity, the character, residents, and especially the children of the village serve.

Andrew Livingston

Glen Ellyn